Huntingdonshire  District Council is taking part in a national fraud investigation scheme designed to ‘weed out’ people who are falsely claiming  a single person’s discount off their council tax.
As part of its fraud detection programme, the council regularly carries out checks on all 19,500 residents who claim a single resident discount of 25 per cent against their council tax. Now being part of a national scheme, the council is better equipped to spot anomalies and then to undertake further investigations. The checks can show if more than one resident appears on the records of another government department and can reveal if goods and services have been bought by another resident at that address.
Councillor Terry Rogers, executive councillor for finance, said: “We are keen to make sure that people who genuinely live alone are claiming their discount of 25 per cent off their council tax bill.
“People who claim a discount to which they are not entitled are not only committing an offence but also placing an unfair burden on those residents who pay their full liability.” 
The council will work with  government  agencies to confirm that residents who declare they live alone are providing the correct information,  and identify cases where there are two or more adults living in a property, and therefore should not be receiving a discount.
Anyone fraudulently claiming a reduction could face serious consequences leading to a prosecution, 
Julia Barber, the council’s head of revenues, said: “We urge claimants to come forward now to sort out any genuine oversights or mistakes..  The correct liability and a repayment plan will be calculated for those coming forward. Our message is clear: come to us before we come to you.
“We also want to encourage anyone who is entitled to a single person discount and is not claiming to get in touch and see what they are entitled to. 
“The full council tax bill assumes there are two people living at the property and if this is not the case, then a reduction may well be available”.
To get in touch with the council to let us know of a change or if you think you may be entitled to a discount call the dedicated council tax hotline on 01480 388030.